Unisys to USPS: The check is in the mail

After a month of mediation between the Postal Service and Unisys Corp., the company earlier this month agreed to pay USPS $882,483 for an overbilling claim related to year 2000 date code repair work.

The service learned last year from a Unisys whistle-blower that it had possibly overpaid the company, inspector general Karla W. Corcoran said.

The problem arose because unqualified Unisys employees performed some of the date rollover work, Corcoran said. The employees failed to meet the personnel requirements specified in the contract, she said.

Unisys refuted the allegations. 'We stand by the propriety of our billing,' said Lisa Meyer, manager of public relations for Unisys' global public-sector group.

Meyer said the company settled to avoid litigation. 'I don't think this is going to hinder us from doing work with the Postal Service,' she said. 'Once it's settled, it's settled.'